Thread: Making Black Powder

Right, as a constant tinkerer, one of my follies next year is going to give casting bullets and making my own black powder a go. I'm kinda leaning towards purchasing a flintlock eventually so I can shoot home brewed projectiles and powder which will be neat.

I'm quite happy I can source all of the components at a reasonable price and I can make an unlimited amount of willow charcoal as it's not exactly scarce in NZ.

But I'm interested in what people are using to tumble/mill the powder in NZ. I know overseas a lot use a harbour freight sources rock tumbler which we obviously don't have here. Anyone got any good sources for such equipment. Would also like to try tumbling with ceramic balls rather than lead as a few sources have found this creates cleaner burning powder.

Also is any one compressing and corning their black powder? If so how are you doing it/ what are you using. I might need to find someone with a lathe to make a pucking die!

Anyway be interested in how others are doing it and general experience.